If common sense had prevailed, this column would have dealt with baseball either Dartmouth, Major League or little league. However, don't fret. We shall indeed converse about baseball this term, considering that the Big Green is one of the elite teams in the country. Like Charlie Kelly (from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") would say, "in eyes of the law," baseball must be the top sporting event come April.
Today, I wish for you to turn your attention to a sport that captured all of America's attention a mere two months ago, a sport whose season concluded with a fairytale ending for New Yorkers American football. This offseason has added so much drama that reporters are having trouble covering all of the stories. Free agent signings, trades and suspensions are the roundtable subjects that have made football a relevant subject despite the commencement of baseball season.
At the center of everyone's attention is Peyton Manning, former Indianapolis Colt and the new quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Manning has gone through four neck fusion surgeries, and the Colts weren't ready to make a long-term commitment to a 36-year-old veteran, especially since Indianapolis obtained the first overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. In a tearful and admittedly touching press conference, Manning said to fans, "Thank you for letting me be your quarterback." A very classy player, Manning has always shown himself to be a gentleman through and through.
Manning was released and, after a week of being wined and dined by a handful of teams, he chose to join Denver as the biggest free agent signing in NFL history. He will attempt to relive a dream that Broncos quarterback legend John Elway began.
To be able to bring in one alpha-dog player in Peyton Manning, the incumbent had to be let go. This was, of course, the one and only Tim Tebow. Last season, he led the Broncos to numerous victories and turned in game-winning drives and overtime thrillers. Tebowmania took over the country about five months ago, and we all remember it the same way "Nah, he won't get it going this late in the game ... Wait, what? ... Yes, he made that throw! ... Oh my gosh, Mom, Tebow did it again!"
Yet, despite the fanfare and the effect he had on his team, Tebow was traded almost as soon as Peyton signed on the dotted line. Tebow was sent to the New York Jets for a measly fourth-round pick. Why the Miami Dolphins or Jacksonville Jaguars didn't trade for Timmy is beyond me. Both of these teams could have used a player like Tebow to make them relevant again in the NFL. Nevertheless, Tim Tebow is now playing for Rex Ryan. Case closed, right? Not quite.
The way Bronco fans turned their back on Tebow was inconceivable. As soon as Manning became a possibility for Denver, Tebow was criticized from every angle despite the surprisingly successful season the Broncos had just completed. Even Tebow's former teammate Willis McGahee said that the team lacked a leader in difficult game situations, which is an absurd statement. Tebow saved McGahee from riding the pine for the rest of his career, and McGahee has now become a "turncoat," as ESPN analyst Skip Bayless called him.
Similarly, Elway cice president of football operations for the Broncos orchestrated the trade that sent Tebow to the other side of the country to get rid of Tebowmania, even though he had basked in Timmy's success the season before. A sincere thank you from John Elway would have sufficed, but alas, Tebow can't win them all.
The general consensus is that Tim Tebow will be an "athlete" for the Jets and will be a special-package player, with plays designed to feature his skills. However, I believe that Tebow will fight Mark Sanchez, the current starting Jets quarterback, for the first-string position.
The more Tebow billboards are put up in New York City, the faster the "Sanchize" dreams will go up in flames.
It is spring, and pretty soon it'll start raining, and we'll be wondering if cold weather might be better than the wet season. Prepare for great things to happen this term, but keep football in mind, because stories in that sport sprout up every day.
